Penang team clinches top robotics prize

TWELVE students from different schools in Penang who teamed up and called themselves “Assassins Penang”, emerged as the overall champion of the First Lego League (FLL) Malaysia 2017 with their invention of a robotic virtual light barrier to prevent bird strikes from causing aviation accidents.

Inspired by an aviation movie titled Sully: The Untold Story Of The Miracle On The Hudson, the team used the Lego blocks to create a virtual light barrier to prevent birds from roaming around airports.

They defeated 91 other teams to clinch the title.

Team member Tam Li Yen, 16, said it took them six months to conceptualise the invention.

“We felt that this was a good invention as bird strikes are major problems in aviation,” she said after the closing ceremony of the Ninth edition of the FLL Malaysia, themed “Animal Allies” recently.

The team’s coach, Ng Lee Chuan, 41, said it was a well-deserved victory as the students had put in so much of their time and effort.

“They practised for about 10 hours a day for six months to come up with the invention,” said Ng.

Earlier, Education Ministry directorgeneral Tan Sri Dr Khair Mohamad Yusof said such programmes were in line with the government’s aspiration to emphasise the importance of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).

The team from SMJK Chung Ling of Penang won the silver award, while SMJK Katholik, Selangor, took the bronze.

The FLL, which began on July 14, attracted more than 1,000 participants from primary and secondary schools nationwide.

The league was organised by Sasbadi Holdings Berhad, the National Partner of “For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology,” (First) and LEGO. – Bernama